Recently, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced it had discontinued the use of Censys at the end of last month due to significant budget cuts. This news has sparked widespread discussion across the cybersecurity community and raised a critical question: When budgets are tight, are expensive tools still worth relying on?

In fact, this isn't an isolated case. Since the Trump administration initiated its trade war, investments in U.S. technology and security sectors have been steadily shrinking. This shift has impacted not only government operations but also the long-term maintenance of critical infrastructure like the CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) database. As "cutbacks and substitutions" become the new normal, finding cost-effective yet powerful alternatives has become an industry-wide imperative.

In this context, ZoomEye emerges as a highly promising alternative.

So, what makes ZoomEye stand out? Here's a price and feature comparison chart to give you a clear picture of the differences:

Beyond affordability, ZoomEye offers a set of unique features, making it not just a "cheaper replacement," but potentially a next-level solution for threat hunting and asset management:

• Behavioral Mapping: Provides full-spectrum asset mapping with accurate identification of VPNs, proxy IPs, and various malicious C2 devices, offering real-time visibility into asset changes.Behavioral Mapping.
• AI-Powered Search: Helps generate intelligent queries, optimize syntax, and support complex, multi-condition searches for enhanced efficiency.
• Honeypot Detection & Target Rank: Accurately detects honeypots and ranks targets by credibility to reduce false positives.
• Data Subscription: Allows users to create customized watchlists, receive dynamic trend charts, incremental data downloads, and email alerts to stay informed on key assets.
• Real-Time Data Updates: Enables active scanning of specified IPs, IP ranges, or domains, with timely asset status updates delivered via email to ensure data stays current.

CISA's move may just be the beginning of a broader transformation in the cybersecurity landscape. As budget constraints continue to grow, more security teams will be forced to move away from reliance on single, costly tools — and instead adopt a strategy focused on multi-source integration and high-value solutions.

In this new era, ZoomEye is the trusted partner you can count on.

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